Independent Persian has received messages from protestors within Iran via Starlink satellite that describe a ‘war-like situation’. Amirhossein Miresmaeili reports
No he doesn’t. He’s a self declared shah in exile, and he said people should choose between a “constitutional monarchy” and a republic.
Good father was a brutal dictator who disappeared opposition and gave away 80% of Iran’s oil to the US and UK, if you think the US/Israel backed “shah in exile” is really going to establish a democratic government, I have so much bullshit to sell you.
The people will “choose” a monarchy and he’ll be more oppressive than his father, while the western media will show footage of his supporters crying with happiness as proof he’s not a dictator.
he said people should choose between a “constitutional monarchy” and a republic.
👀
he said people should choose
So, a democratically-held referendum?
Also, in case you don’t know what a constitutional monarchy is, it typically has a parliament and a set of rules which limit the powers of the monarch. Basically all the extant monarchies in Europe are constitutional monarchies. It’s in contrast with an “absolute monarchy,” which is what you seem to be afraid of.
The people will “choose” a monarchy
How do you know that? What makes you so sure? And if it’s what the people choose, then what right do you have to tell them otherwise?
He’s not his father, and his political views are sharply different. Let’s take a look:
Ideologically, he has expressed support for a democratic transition in Iran and has advocated for a referendum to be held in Iran to determine the nature of the future government. Pahlavi has repeatedly called for protests against the Islamic Republic, and has called for the removal of the current regime from power.
According to Australia’s ABC News, Reza Pahlavi believes in the establishment of a secular, democratic and liberal Iran.
Pahlavi has said that he has no intention to take a long-term leadership role in Iran should the current regime fall. He has said the Iranian people must choose the form of rule they prefer, whether constitutional monarchy or a republic, and that a referendum should be held to decide. Pahlavi has said that after the Islamic revolution in 1979, he concluded the merit of “separation of religion from state as a primordial principle and precondition to democratic order”.
In 2024, Pahlavi told the BBC that he prefers that Iran would choose to remain a republic, since he views this political system as more meritocratic.
Pahlavi has advocated for increased tolerance within Iran, arguing for the establishment of watchdogs and the strengthening of civil society in order to avoid the concentration of power in one group. Pahlavi is said to have defended a democratic vision for Iran, advocating for free elections in order to establish a constituent assembly. According to the university of Navarra, Pahlavi “has refused to commit to the restoration of the monarchy”. Pahlavi told European members of parliament that Iran following the demise of the regime would be an ally of Europe and the West.
Are you dense? A self declared monarch says people should choose between a monarchy and a republic, and you take that to mean he really backs a democratic process?
Also, in case you don’t know what a constitutional monarchy is, it typically has a parliament and a set of rules which limit the powers of the monarch. Basically all the extant monarchies in Europe are constitutional monarchies. It’s in contrast with an “absolute monarchy,” which is what you seem to be afraid of.
As a citizen of a constitutional monarchy in the middle east, whose secret service disappears people for disrespecting the monarch, get a perspective.
How do you know that? What makes you so sure?
We’ve seen this movie too many times. Our entire region has been destroyed by puppet monarchs of the UK and US.
Let’s take a look:
You just referenced him. Trump said he ended the most wars and deserves a peace prize, he also says he’s fighting corruption and making America great again.
Do you believe Israel and the US are pushing for him so hard because he has anything but their interests in mind?
There are currently no true parliamentary monarchies in the Middle East. At best, some are semi-constitutional.
Absolute monarchs remain in Brunei, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates and Qatar are classified as mixed, meaning there are representative bodies of some kind, but the monarch retains most of his powers. Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia and Morocco are constitutional monarchies, but their monarchs still retain more substantial powers than in European equivalents.
Regardless, he openly states that he prefers a secular republic. It comes down to whether the referendum is held in a truly democratic manner; after that, it’s up to the people of Iran to choose.
But anyway, unless you’re fine with the status quo and are arguing in support of the Ayatollah, try reading the room. Cause it seems like these are the only options…
When the options are a brutal dictator who cannot give your children a good future because of sanctions or a brutal dictator that let’s you wear skirts but sells your children’s future to the US, you absolutely shouldn’t choose the puppet.
Unfortunately, and this is not an insult this is a fact of all populations of the world, the people are about as well read as you, and they don’t know what’s coming to them. They’ve been consuming Israel’s propaganda campaign (like you) and they are marching to their own destruction.
Take a lesson from Syria, look at what’s happened to it, the once great civilization reduced to a memory with an ISIS commander as president playing basketball with US military.
Just because wikipedia was the most expedient source to cite on a Lemmy post, doesn’t mean I don’t read books. Stop making assumptions about me.
Hmm, brutal theocratic dictator or democratic referendum with possible constitutional monarchy. Tough choice. Oh but the US at least nominally expresses support for the possible referendum (in reality it’s more like opposition to the theocratic regime), so following the logic that anything anti-west is good, you choose the theocracy?
That’s not that surprising to be honest. Look, I hate trump and I hate agreeing with him even more, but a broken clock is right twice a day, and I’ve been in the background quietly cheering for Iranian self-determination since at least the New Iran movement in 2022. This isn’t about US foreign policy, this is about the Iranian people deserving better than the mullah.
You’re right, Syria was once great, and now for the time being it’s in Shambles. But you’re forgetting a key part of the picture, which is that Assad’s regime already had it in shambles. He needed to go. And although HTS has yet to deliver on the promise of a referendum, and they’ve had questionable relations so far with minority groups such as Druze and Kurds, calling them ISIS is misinformed. They broke with ISIS over ideological differences and disavowed any affiliation, it’s okay if they want to rehab their image to gain legitimacy and international recognition.
Also, I don’t consume Israel’s propaganda. Fuck off with that. Not everyone who is against the Ayatollah is pro-Israel, and just because Israel is conducting opportunistic agitation doesn’t mean the whole protest movement is an Israeli proxy.
I’m making assumptions because your words contradict history, if you’ve read any non colonial books you’d know better. Both good books (e.g. Orientalism by Edward Said) to see how this movie plays out, and bad books (e.g. Lion of Jordan: The Life of King Hussein in War and Peace by Avi Shlaim) to see how the progranda you’re spewing about the Shah gets disseminated and how it never reflects realty.
democratic referendum with possible constitutional monarchy.
That’s not on the table. That’s the rhetoric used to establish a US puppet monarch. See any of the"constitutional monarchies" you listed earlier.
deserving better than the mullah.
A US/Israel funded and backed monarch isn’t better.
They broke with ISIS over ideological differences and disavowed any affiliation, it’s okay if they want to rehab their image to gain legitimacy and international recognition.
Jesus Christ this hurts to read.
Also, I don’t consume Israel’s propaganda
You do, you just don’t recognize it.
just because Israel is conducting opportunistic agitation
Wow, that’s what you got out of it? The biased Israeli news I linked isn’t even that generous, you have to bend that far backwards to stay your ground?
It’s okay to be wrong, it’s okay to recognize that you’re backing and defending a power hungry dictator, it’s okay to recognize you’re repeating talking points literally spread by Israel and generated by AI.
I want self-determination for Iranians, and it doesn’t come through a US intervention installed puppet.
Good for them that they want to overthrow their oppressors but depressing they want to replace them with new oppressors in the form of a Shah.
The crown prince advocates for a democratically elected government to replace the current regime.
All these people saying “they want to reinstitute the shah” are basically just making a strawman
No he doesn’t. He’s a self declared shah in exile, and he said people should choose between a “constitutional monarchy” and a republic.
Good father was a brutal dictator who disappeared opposition and gave away 80% of Iran’s oil to the US and UK, if you think the US/Israel backed “shah in exile” is really going to establish a democratic government, I have so much bullshit to sell you.
The people will “choose” a monarchy and he’ll be more oppressive than his father, while the western media will show footage of his supporters crying with happiness as proof he’s not a dictator.
👀
So, a democratically-held referendum?
Also, in case you don’t know what a constitutional monarchy is, it typically has a parliament and a set of rules which limit the powers of the monarch. Basically all the extant monarchies in Europe are constitutional monarchies. It’s in contrast with an “absolute monarchy,” which is what you seem to be afraid of.
How do you know that? What makes you so sure? And if it’s what the people choose, then what right do you have to tell them otherwise?
He’s not his father, and his political views are sharply different. Let’s take a look:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reza_Pahlavi
Are you dense? A self declared monarch says people should choose between a monarchy and a republic, and you take that to mean he really backs a democratic process?
As a citizen of a constitutional monarchy in the middle east, whose secret service disappears people for disrespecting the monarch, get a perspective.
We’ve seen this movie too many times. Our entire region has been destroyed by puppet monarchs of the UK and US.
You just referenced him. Trump said he ended the most wars and deserves a peace prize, he also says he’s fighting corruption and making America great again.
Do you believe Israel and the US are pushing for him so hard because he has anything but their interests in mind?
Read some books on colonialism, this is textbook.
There are currently no true parliamentary monarchies in the Middle East. At best, some are semi-constitutional.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_monarchies
Regardless, he openly states that he prefers a secular republic. It comes down to whether the referendum is held in a truly democratic manner; after that, it’s up to the people of Iran to choose.
But anyway, unless you’re fine with the status quo and are arguing in support of the Ayatollah, try reading the room. Cause it seems like these are the only options…
Stop reading Wikipedia and read books.
When the options are a brutal dictator who cannot give your children a good future because of sanctions or a brutal dictator that let’s you wear skirts but sells your children’s future to the US, you absolutely shouldn’t choose the puppet.
Unfortunately, and this is not an insult this is a fact of all populations of the world, the people are about as well read as you, and they don’t know what’s coming to them. They’ve been consuming Israel’s propaganda campaign (like you) and they are marching to their own destruction.
Take a lesson from Syria, look at what’s happened to it, the once great civilization reduced to a memory with an ISIS commander as president playing basketball with US military.
Israel didn’t do this for the love of democracy in Iran: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/security-aviation/2025-10-03/ty-article-magazine/.premium/the-israeli-influence-operation-in-iran-pushing-to-reinstate-the-shah-monarchy/00000199-9f12-df33-a5dd-9f770d7a0000
Just because wikipedia was the most expedient source to cite on a Lemmy post, doesn’t mean I don’t read books. Stop making assumptions about me.
Hmm, brutal theocratic dictator or democratic referendum with possible constitutional monarchy. Tough choice. Oh but the US at least nominally expresses support for the possible referendum (in reality it’s more like opposition to the theocratic regime), so following the logic that anything anti-west is good, you choose the theocracy?
That’s not that surprising to be honest. Look, I hate trump and I hate agreeing with him even more, but a broken clock is right twice a day, and I’ve been in the background quietly cheering for Iranian self-determination since at least the New Iran movement in 2022. This isn’t about US foreign policy, this is about the Iranian people deserving better than the mullah.
You’re right, Syria was once great, and now for the time being it’s in Shambles. But you’re forgetting a key part of the picture, which is that Assad’s regime already had it in shambles. He needed to go. And although HTS has yet to deliver on the promise of a referendum, and they’ve had questionable relations so far with minority groups such as Druze and Kurds, calling them ISIS is misinformed. They broke with ISIS over ideological differences and disavowed any affiliation, it’s okay if they want to rehab their image to gain legitimacy and international recognition.
Also, I don’t consume Israel’s propaganda. Fuck off with that. Not everyone who is against the Ayatollah is pro-Israel, and just because Israel is conducting opportunistic agitation doesn’t mean the whole protest movement is an Israeli proxy.
I’m making assumptions because your words contradict history, if you’ve read any non colonial books you’d know better. Both good books (e.g. Orientalism by Edward Said) to see how this movie plays out, and bad books (e.g. Lion of Jordan: The Life of King Hussein in War and Peace by Avi Shlaim) to see how the progranda you’re spewing about the Shah gets disseminated and how it never reflects realty.
That’s not on the table. That’s the rhetoric used to establish a US puppet monarch. See any of the"constitutional monarchies" you listed earlier.
A US/Israel funded and backed monarch isn’t better.
Jesus Christ this hurts to read.
You do, you just don’t recognize it.
Wow, that’s what you got out of it? The biased Israeli news I linked isn’t even that generous, you have to bend that far backwards to stay your ground?
It’s okay to be wrong, it’s okay to recognize that you’re backing and defending a power hungry dictator, it’s okay to recognize you’re repeating talking points literally spread by Israel and generated by AI.
I want self-determination for Iranians, and it doesn’t come through a US intervention installed puppet.
From what I’ve seen, it’s Iranians in the streets but I’ll fully admit I’m far away and I’ve seen little.
If it’s what the people of Iran want, then it’s no one else’s business to decide.
People on lemmy are like “Boo, foreign intervention. No, don’t choose that way! Let me tell you what’s what.”
Bruh no iranians want to have the Shah back